Seattle Hot Chocolate 15k

On March 3rd, Seattle hosted its first Hot Chocolate 15k Run and it was all about CHOCOLATE! (It was really all about sponsoring Ronald McDonald House Charities.) But of course CHOCOLATE is what attracted me to the event! Who doesn't love CHOCOLATE?!

Seattle is a three-hour drive north from here so we decided to make it a girls' weekend and spend the night in the City. Brittany, Kathie, Nancy and I drove up Saturday morning to make the most out of the weekend. We went directly to the Hot Chocolate Expo to pick up our bibs, sweatshirts and goodie bags. Surprisingly, they had a table set up for "shirt exchange" with sweatshirts to try on to make sure the size you ordered would fit. I have never seen that at ANY expo and I know it's because most shirts have a date or a city's name printed on them so this was a bonus! As usual, my shirt didn't fit and I was thrilled to be able to exchange it! (They are pretty cool Tech hoodies!)

After browsing the expo, we checked in at the awesome Mayflower Park Hotel, tossed our belongings and headed off in different directions. Brittany and I went to the Seattle Aquarium on the waterfront.

The tanks were amazingly beautiful with so much color and of course the fish are always entertaining!

 

 

We absolutely fell in love with the Sea Otters! They were adorable! They sleep on the water with their toys under their arms or on their shoulders. A worker told us that when they get fed, the otters will put the food under their arms and swim right back up acting like they didn't receive any. They were very cute and amazingly, a lot bigger than I expected.

Look at his teeth!

We left the aquarium and went through Pike's Place Market to do a little shopping. We stopped by the original Starbucks (the line was at least 25 people long!!) and just walked around enjoying the sights.

 

The original Starbucks

 

We all met up for dinner at an Italian place and had a very enjoyable dinner together. The food and company were great! We walked back to our hotel and called it a night. When back in our room, Brittany and I decided to order in a couple of beverages to celebrate our rare girls' weekend away! heh heh

Make it a double, please! ;)

Sunday morning we woke up to CLEAR skies and beautiful SUNSHINE! My sister-in-law, Edith, showed up at 6:00 a.m. (she lives north of Seattle) so we could visit and then all walk to the starting line together. Brittany stayed behind in the room because she had an injured back and didn't feel she should walk 10 miles. (I was happy she came along for the weekend fun even though we knew she wouldn't be doing the race.)

The 15k started at 7:40 but by the time our corral (the last one!) made it up to the starting line, it was after 8:00. There were over 10,000 people there! (Everyone loves chocolate!!) Because of our delay in starting, the route had to be cut short because the roads were reopening. We were all four walking under 15 minute miles (Kathie and Nancy were at 13:00+ minute miles and Edith and I were at 14:00+) so it was a bit disappointing that a mile was taken away from us but what are you going to do? Turn back and enjoy the remainder of the walk! Honestly, I didn't mind. This wasn't a "race" to beat any of my previous times - I was just there to have a good time!

This was a really nice event - well organized, well staffed with volunteers, and PLENTY of HILLS for the hill-lover in me! And best of all, the weather was PERFECT!

Brittany met us as we crossed the finish line and then it was time for some CHOCOLATE! We received mugs/bowls filled with hot chocolate, chocolate pieces, chocolate fondue and chocolate cookies and bananas to dip in the fondue! It was AWESOME!

 

 



 And some people will do just about anything for that last morsel of CHOCOLATE...

 

It was a GREAT weekend spent with family and friends ... and plenty of shopping, eating and CHOCOLATE!  ;)

Fundraising at Burgerville

Always thinking about ways to raise money for the 3-Day breast cancer walk without constantly begging friends and family to just give it to us, we decided to check out a local fast food chain and find out what they would let us do to raise money for our cause. We knew local middle schools had fundraiser nights there so it certainly couldn't hurt to ask. It turned out they were more than willing to let us turn the place pink for the evening! They even helped us advertise!

Brittany and Michelle are doing the walk this year with me and my sister-in-law, Edith. Each one of us has to raise a minimum of $2300.00 to participate. This is my fourth year and I'm confident I can raise the money but it isn't always easy. I have to really work for it sometimes. To take on another person's fundraising responsibilities isn't something I can do but I am more than willing to help in any way I can to assure they reach their goals. This fundraising event was to support both of them.

The first Burgerville (find on Facebook here) was opened right here in Vancouver in 1961 (sadly, that original location was recently demolished). Burgerville now consists of 39 restaurants located in Washington and Oregon. The most awesome thing about Burgerville is its commitment to and involvement within the local community. They serve fresh food purchased from local businesses. Seasonal shakes and smoothies are made with fresh berries from local farms. If you haven't tried a FRESH berry shake, you really need to visit a Burgerville. Even the bacon and cheese on the burgers come from local farms and dairies. What other fast food restaurant purchases locally?

Burgerville allowed us (and countless others in the past) to fund raise inside their restaurant. We were able to decorate and set out a tip jar. We earned 10% of their sales between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m. We delivered food, got customers ketchup and any other needed items, bussed and washed the tables and socialized.... A LOT! We actually had a GREAT time!! It was amazing just how many of our friends and family showed up to support our cause! THANK YOU!!! All Burgerville asked of us was to bring in the business!

At the end of the night, we thanked the wonderful Burgerville crew for allowing us to be there, for letting us turn the place pink and for dealing with our lack of experience as fast food workers! I was very impressed with how friendly and helpful they were. I have not gone into a fast food restaurant and witnessed such happy, smiling and friendly workers - every single one of them! They really were the best! (Visit this particular crew at the Burgerville located at the corner of Hwy 99 and 99th Street.)

The fundraising was a success, bringing in $56 from the tip jar and $146 from sales. Brittany and Michelle each made $101. Way to go ladies! Every dollar gets you that much closer to completing your fundraising goals!

Thank you to everyone who showed up to support us and those of you that support us in other ways too! We appreciate each one of you and could not participate in this great event without people like you in our lives! Thank you!

If you would like to donate online or even just view our pages, you can find us each at:

Brittany
Michelle
Edith
Jacqueline 

Unfortunately we can't accept a "team" donation and split it online but you can donate to one or all of us on our own page. Thanks again!

NEXT UP...

Fundraising by Flamingo Flocking!

BEWARE... it could be YOUR house we FLOCK next! ;)

Would you like us to flock your friend's house? What about your parents' house?
Your boss's? We're on it!! Information coming soon! 

The Ultimate Beginners Running Guide

The Ultimate Beginners Running Guide: The Key To Running Inspired

I was recently given a copy of this little treasure and wanted to share it with all of you that are thinking you would like to start running too! (You know who you are!) I found this book a great source of information and very beneficial, especially for someone just starting out. The book discusses everything from nutrition/hydration, shoes, injuries/treatment, proper form and staying motivated. It also discusses confidence and self-consciousness - two things I personally have really struggled with!

I like the way the author, Ryan Robert, organized his book, making it a fast read and very easy to understand. He discusses a topic, follows it up with tips and then summarizes what was just read. He also adds a few visualization exercises. I believe that the more you can visualize something, the more it will become a reality so I really appreciate the fact that these exercises are included.

When I'm out running now, I try to improve on such things as my foot strike, arm swing (straight ahead not side-to-side) and the (un)clinching of my fists (things you don't necessarily talk about in group training or even think about but that are discussed in this book). I stand up taller and look straight ahead and I have to admit, these improvements have made running easier for me. (Don't misunderstand, running hasn't been EASY for me at all but it is getting easiER and the book has definitely helped.)

The book offers training schedules for Active Beginners, Non-Exercisers, Weight Loss, and People 50 and Over. You can download these schedules for free so you can write on them and make them your own. Each schedule is 14 to 16 weeks long and provides you with the training to be able to run 60 minutes at a comfortable pace - which means you'll definitely be able to run your first 5k, 8k or 10k! (A great goal to set for yourself! I just ran my first 8k!)

If you are thinking about starting to run, I highly recommend you read this book. I know it will help you as much as it has helped me! It is a great guide to have in addition to my weekly group training program.

You can find The Ultimate Beginners Running Guide: The Key To Running Inspired on Amazon in paperback here or a downloadable version here.
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"Once you've become inspired, only you can set the limits of what you'll accomplish." ~ Ryan Robert

Hazel Dell 8k

On February 24th I participated in the Hazel Dell 8k event created by Max Muscle. The event raised money for Panda Paws Animal Rescue, a local non-profit specializing in special needs canines.
 

I started training to RUN this event in January.  I was originally signed up for the half marathon, not the 8k. As the event date got closer, I realized there was no way I was going to be able to run the entire 13.1 miles... not even close! I suffered weeks of lower leg pain and wasn’t able to train like I needed to. Bullseye was suffering from leg pain as well and was in the same situation with training. As much as we wanted this to be the first half marathon for us to RUN instead of WALK, we couldn’t do it. With some coaxing by our wonderful coach, we switched to the 8k – a distance we knew we could run (and then celebrate) because we had run further than that in training.

For three days prior to race day, I had been working overtime - overtime as in 14 hour days. I was tired but still wanted to do the race. That morning I slept in as long as possible. Obviously...

 

Note to self: NEVER just jump out of bed, throw on the headband and hightail it to the race! Ya won't be thrilled to see the pics and to know you were actually looking like that in public! I had some serious BED-HEAD HAIR!  Excuse: I was REALLY TIRED. Sorry Bullseye... I killed the photos! :/
 

While waiting for the race to begin, we stood inside an empty building to stay warm. It was 39 degrees and breezy.  Cold but perfect weather for a run!

The horn blew and away we went! Bullseye and I usually start off walking for the first quarter to half mile to warm up but we were too excited and started running right away. I was “limp-running” (my new made up word) but from experience, knew the pain would eventually disappear to the back of my mind and I would just push through it. Not the smartest of all decisions I've made but hey, Pain and I are old friends! We know how to work with each other!  ;)

 

The first half of the course was pretty much all downhill. It was easy to run and we knew we were making good time. We also knew we had to come back up those hills because it was an out-and-back course and were already agonizing about it.

I found myself slowing down very early on. My diet had not been good the past few days while working (too much sugar, naturally) and I was not properly hydrated at all. It was very apparent and I felt terrible. Bullseye was just getting over a cold and felt pretty tired too. We kept encouraging each other and to be honest, Bullseye was dragging me along the entire way. I personally wanted to walk but I kept my feet moving because I knew I would be very disappointed in myself if I gave up. It was ONLY a 5 mile run. I would manage.
 

It sure felt a lot harder than it looks!

At one point going back up the hill (which felt more like a MOUNTAIN), I was slowing down to a crawl and told Bullseye to just go on ahead and finish the race. Instead, she slowed her pace and kept us both moving forward. 

We struggled while fighting the hills, leg pains and mental doubts… but we kept on running. We finally saw the finish line but were unable to sprint through it. We kept a steady pace and smiled for the cameras - wild hair and all! While running the last 15 yards of the course, I heard our coach on the microphone talking about how Bullseye and I had trained and walked together for a couple of years, were now training to run together, and that this was our first race as “runners”.  It was a very proud moment for all of us!

After finishing, our coaches – Tracy and Trevor – ran up to us and gave us great big hugs. They told us how proud they were of us and were as excited as we were! We finished the race in 1:00:09 (Bullseye finished in 1:00:06 to be exact!), averaging 12:06 minute miles. Tracy told us we averaged an awesome time considering ALL THOSE HILLS and both of our leg issues. Our plan going into the race was to finish in under an hour so that 9/100^th of a second past the hour stung a little but really, we were just happy it was over with.  It was our first official 8k to run and now we have a time to beat!

 

Currently though, Bullseye is OUT on the injured reserve bench! She had a tibia stress fracture she didn't know about, which has been the cause of her leg pain. She isn't allowed to train at all - no walking, no running. She's less than happy about it and chomping at the bit to get moving again.

I feel like my own leg issue is getting better but it certainly is taking it's own sweet time. I'm trying not to run at all right now to give it a chance to completely heal. I'm tired of dealing with it. I'm peeved that our old damn bodies have made this running venture such a difficult one! OTHER people run WITHOUT injury so WHY NOT US?! We really aren't THAT old.

I truly enjoy running and will continue to reach for the stars and run that half marathon this year! I know I can do it!

Get better, Bullseye! You have miles to run!